[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 227 (Tuesday, November 28, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 83074-83075]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-26162]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests; Idaho; Land Management 
Plan Revision for the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests

AGENCY: Forest Service, Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Notice of opportunity to object to the revised land management 
plan and Regional Forester's list of species of conservation concern 
for the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service is revising the Nez Perce and Clearwater 
National Forests' 1987 Land and Resource Management Plans. The Forest 
Service has prepared a final environmental impact statement (EIS) for 
the revised land management plan and a draft record of decision (ROD).
    This notice is to inform the public that the Nez Perce-Clearwater 
National Forests are initiating a 60-day period where individuals or 
entities with specific concerns about the revised land management plan 
and the associated final EIS may file objections for Forest Service 
review prior to the approval of the revised land management plan. This 
is also an opportunity to object to the Regional Forester's list of 
species of conservation concern on the Nez Perce-Clearwater National 
Forests.

DATES: The publication date of the legal notice in the Nez Perce-
Clearwater National Forests' newspaper of record, Lewiston Morning 
Tribune, initiates the 60-day objection filing period and is the 
exclusive means for calculating the time to file an objection (36 CFR 
219.52(c)(5)). An electronic scan of the legal notice with the 
publication date will be posted at https://www.fs.usda.gov/nezperceclearwater.

ADDRESSES: The Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests' revised land 
management plan, final EIS, draft ROD, and other supporting information 
will be available for review at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/nezperceclearwater and click on Nez Perce-Clearwater Forest Plan 
Revision. The Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests' list of species of 
conservation concern and other supporting information will be available 
for review at: http://bit.ly/NorthernRegion-SCC. These web addresses 
include an objection template as an aid to providing the required 
information. Please be explicit as to whether the objection is for the 
land management plan or the species of conservation concern.
    Objections must be submitted to the Objection Reviewing Officer by 
one of the following methods:
    <bullet> Electronically: Electronic objections must be submitted to 
the Objection Reviewing Officer via the objection webform at https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public//CommentInput?Project=44089. Electronic 
submissions must be submitted in a format that is readable with optical 
character recognition software (e.g., Word, PDF, Rich Text) and be 
searchable.
    <bullet> Regular mail, private carrier, or hand delivery: Address 
to the Objection Reviewing Officer, USDA Forest Service, Northern 
Region, 26 Fort Missoula Road, Missoula, MT 59804. Office hours are 
Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding Federal 
holidays.
    <bullet> Fax: Objections can be faxed to the Objection Reviewing 
Officer at (406) 329-3411. The fax coversheet must include a subject 
line with ``Nez Perce-Clearwater Forest Plan Objection'' or ``Nez 
Perce-Clearwater Species of Conservation Concern'' and should specify 
the number of pages being submitted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Public and Government Relations Staff 
Officer Zach Peterson, 1008 Highway 64, Kamiah, Idaho 83536, 208-935-
4239. Additional information concerning the draft ROD may be obtained 
on the internet at the websites listed in the ADDRESSES section of this 
document.
    Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf and hard 
of hearing (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339, 24 
hours a day, every day of the year, including holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The decision to approve the revised land 
management plan for the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests and the 
Regional Forester's identification of species of conservation concern 
is subject to the objection process identified in 36 CFR part 219 
subpart B (219.50 to 219.62). Per 36 CFR 219.53, only individuals and 
entities who have submitted substantive formal comments related to a 
plan revision during the opportunities for public comment that are 
attributable to the objector may file an objection unless the objection

[[Page 83075]]

concerns an issue that arose after the opportunities for formal 
comment.

How To File an Objection

    An objection must include the following (36 CFR 219.54(c)):
    (1) The objector's name and address along with a telephone number 
or email address if available. In cases where no identifiable name is 
attached to an objection, the Forest Service will attempt to verify the 
identity of the objector to confirm objection eligibility;
    (2) Signature or other verification of authorship upon request (a 
scanned signature for electronic mail may be filed with the objection);
    (3) Identification of the lead objector when multiple names are 
listed on an objection. The Forest Service will communicate to all 
parties to an objection through the lead objector. Verification of the 
identity of the lead objector must also be provided if requested;
    (4) The name of the plan revision or forest plan amendment being 
objected to and the name and title of the Responsible Official;
    (5) A statement of the issues and/or parts of the plan revision to 
which the objection applies;
    (6) A concise statement explaining the objection and suggesting how 
the proposed plan decision may be improved. If the objector believes 
that the plan revision is inconsistent with law, regulation, or policy, 
an explanation should be included;
    (7) A statement that demonstrates the link between the objector's 
prior substantive formal comments and the content of the objection, 
unless the objection concerns an issue that arose after the 
opportunities for formal comment; and
    (8) All documents referenced in the objection (a bibliography is 
not sufficient), except that the following need not be provided:
    a. All or any part of a federal law or regulation,
    b. Forest Service Directive System documents and land management 
plans or other published Forest Service documents,
    c. Documents referenced by the Forest Service in the planning 
documentation related to the proposal subject to objection, and
    d. Formal comments previously provided to the Forest Service by the 
objector during the plan revision comment period.
    It is the responsibility of the objector to ensure that the 
Reviewing Officer receives the objection in a timely manner. The 
regulations prohibit extending the length of the objection filing 
period.

Responsible Official

    The Responsible Official who will approve the record of decision 
for the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests revised land management 
plan is Cheryl Probert, Forest Supervisor for the Nez Perce-Clearwater 
National Forests, 1008 Highway 64, Kamiah, Idaho 83536, 208-935-4239. 
The Responsible Official for the identification of the species of 
conservation concern for the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests is 
Leanne Marten, Northern Region Regional Forester, 26 Fort Missoula, 
Missoula, MT 59804.
    The Regional Forester is the Reviewing Officer for the revised land 
management since the Forest Supervisor is the Responsible Official (36 
CFR 219.56(e)(2)). Objection review of the list of species of 
conservation concern will be subject to a separate objection process. 
The Chief of the Forest Service is the Reviewing Officer for the list 
of species of conservation concern identification as the Regional 
Forester is the Responsible Official (36 CFR 219.56(e)(2)).
    This authority may be delegated to an individual Deputy Chief or 
Associate Deputy Chief for the National Forest System, consistent with 
delegations of authority provided in the Forest Service Manual at 
sections 1235.4 and 1235.5.

    Dated: November 14, 2023.
Troy Heithecker,
Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2023-26162 Filed 11-27-23; 8:45 am]
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